TFC dumped 3-0 by Real Salt Lake

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Toronto's Adrian Serioux and Real Salt Lake's Yura Movsisyan go for the ball during their game in Salt Lake City on Saturday. ((Kristin Murphy/Associated Press))

The Toronto FC spoiled a chance to sit atop the MLS Eastern Conference standings by dropping a 3-0 decision to Real Salt Lake on Saturday in Utah.

Yura Movsisyan's goal in the 21st minute off a sloppy pass by Toronto's Amado Guevara would be the eventual winner while Kyle Beckerman and Clint Mathis added their own markers to seal it for Real Salt Lake (5-6-4).

Brennan has early chances for TFC

The game started well for Toronto as Salt Lake keeper Nick Rimando was tested early but Jim Brennan was denied in the second minute from inside the penalty area.

Brennan had another good chance following a failed corner attempt in the 14th minute. The ball came into his possession at the top of the penalty area but his shot curved wide into the left side of the net.

Scoring opened in the 21st minute when Salt Lake's Yura Movsisyan capitalized on a bad pass by Toronto's Amado Guevara.

Movsisyan intercepted the ball intended for Toronto's Nick Garcia and poked it ahead for a virtual breakaway on Stefan Frei, who came out to challenge the lone attacker and reduce the angle.

Movsisyan moved the ball just inside the penalty area and flipped it over the keeper's left side for his fourth goal of the season and the early 1-0 lead.

Salt Lake bottles up TFC in 1st half

Dwayne DeRosario had a header blocked in the 27th but other than that deflected chance, Salt Lake kept Toronto penned in its own end.

In the 34th minute, a long pass split the middle of the Toronto backfield and reached the foot of Movsisyan at the top of the penalty area.

Movsisyan scampered toward the goal and tried to wait out Frei, who kept close to the left post. The Salt Lake player sent a pass across the penalty area to a streaking Kyle Beckerman but he was denied by a huge save by Frei.

Beckerman wouldn't be denied on his second chance. In the 44th minute, he completed a harder shot on a more difficult cross pass from Javier Morales.

The ball bounced off an FC defender's foot before it reached him but Beckerman's co-ordination was up to the task and he booted it past an outstretched Frei to make it 2-0.

Toronto's Barrett closed out the first half by taking a yellow card by fouling RSL's Nat Borchers.

Danny Dichio replaced Guevara in the second half, but the switch didn't seem to spark Toronto at all.

Salt Lake's Clint Mathis took the fourth shot of the game in the 48th minute and forced Frei to make a leaping deflection. Movsisyan had the next chance that Frei had to turn away when he stopped a left-footed shot from the Salt Lake attacker.

TFC can't stay in referee's good books

Adding to Toronto's frustration was that Brennan and Vitti were also shown yellow cards in the early stages of the second half while Adrian Serioux was booked in the 65th minute for a reckless tackle.

The rest of the game saw the TFC struggle to manufacture any offensive push and registered only one shot on goal in the second half.

Clint Mathis' goal in the 78th minute sealed the game and the win for Real Salt Lake as well as the second 3-0 loss for Toronto this season.

Toronto remains in second place in the east, one point behind leaders D.C. United. The FC's next game is not until July 11, when the club visits the San Jose Earthquakes.